ICOS-gene variants are not associated with atopic disease susceptibility in European children

• Published in: Pediatric allergy and immunology Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 242 - 245
• Main Authors: Beier, Katja C., Humberdros, Steffi, Witt, Heiko, Illi, Sabina, Rüschendorf, Franz, Nickel, Renate, Lee, Young-Ae, Lau, Susanne, Wahn, Ulrich, Hamelmann, Eckard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2009; Blackwell
• Subjects: Alleles; Allergens - immunology; allergic rhinitis; allergy; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - genetics; Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte - immunology; asthma; atopic dermatitis; atopy; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Cohort Studies; Europe - epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gene Frequency - genetics; Gene Frequency - immunology; General aspects; Genetic Predisposition to Disease - genetics; genetic variants; Genotype; Humans; Hypersensitivity - epidemiology; Hypersensitivity - genetics; Hypersensitivity - immunology; ICOS; ICOS, polymorphism; IgE; Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; Medical sciences; Pneumology; polymorphism; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Prospective Studies; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; single-nucleotide polymorphism; Europe; Allergy; Pediatrics; Skin disease; Nose disease; Genetic variability; Rhinitis; IgE; Atopy; Association; Immunology; Gene; Atopic dermatitis; ENT disease; Bronchus disease; Genetics; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Child; Human; Lung disease; Immunopathology; Respiratory disease; Genetic variant; Inducible costimulator; Genotype; Costimulatory molecule; Asthma; polymorphism; single-nucleotide polymorphism; genetic variants; Sensitivity; Single nucleotide polymorphism; allergy; atopy; IgE; asthma; atopic dermatitis; allergic rhinitis; ICOS
• ISSN: 0905-6157; 1399-3038; 1399-3038
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2008.00777.x

The inducible co‐stimulatory molecule, ICOS, is an important regulator of T cell differentiation and effector function. Previously, it was reported that two variants in the ICOS promotor region, g.1‐1413G>A and g.1‐693G>A, were associated with sensitization to airborne allergens, elevated serum IgE levels and Th2 cytokine production in a Hutterite population. The aim of this study was to evaluate these two and four other selected ICOS variants for association with atopic phenotypes in two large European prospective pediatric cohorts. We investigated subjects from the German Multicenter Allergy Study (MAS), which followed over 800 children with atopic family history from birth until 13 yr of age, and from the Early Treatment of the Allergic Child Study (ETAC), which collected DNA and clinical data of over 330 children with atopic dermatitis during their first 2 yr of life. We genotyped DNA from these children by melting curve analysis using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes. We could not confirm the previously reported association of g.1‐1413G>A and g.1‐693G>A with atopic phenotypes in our pediatric cohorts. Also four other ICOS variants at putative binding sites for transcription factors showed no association with atopic dermatitis, asthma, allergic sensitization and allergic rhinitis. Our data suggest that these ICOS variants do not play a major role in the development of atopy in European children.